Artificial-fuel block and method of producing same.



PATENT rice.

MICHAEL M. KLINE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ARTlF'lClAL-FUEL BLOCK AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 30, 1906. Serial N 328.362.

Eatenteo. April 16, 1907.

To all 11/71/0111 it nuty concern:

Be it known that I,,MIOHAEL M. KLINE, a citizen of the United. States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Artificial-Fuel Blocks and Methods of Producing Same, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to artificial-fuel blocks.

One object of my invention is to provide a fuel-block which is harder and contains a greater percentage of fuel and is superior in a number of other ways to the artificial-fuel blocks heretofore in use.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel method. of producing artificialfuel blocks.

The fuel-block herein described as embodying my invention may be of any desired form or size, and consists of the following ingredients of about the proportions specified: pulverized slack coal, ninety-seven and three fifths per cent; starch, one per cent. glucose,

one per cent; sulfate of iron, one-fifth of one per cent; sulfate of magnesia, one-tenth of one per cent. oxid of manganese, one-tenth of one per cent.

While I have herein stated that my fuelblock consists of ingredients of about the proportions specified, I wish it to be understood that these are about the maximum proportions, as the condition of the coalslackwhichv is used determines the proportions of the other ingredients. I prefer to use starch and glucose to act as the binding agent; but oatmeal or any other farinaceous substance could be used equally well.

The method of producing the article con sists in thoroughly mixing pulverized slack coal, glucose, starch, sulfate of iron, sulfate of magnesia, and oxid of manganese of about the proportions previously specified with enough water to make the mass plastic and cause the ingredients to mix thoroughly, then heating the mass and molding a proper quantity thereof into the desired'form by subjecting it to great pressure between heated dies. The sulfate of iron, sulfate of magnesia, and oxid of manganese harden the block and also destroy the smoke, and thus aid combustion. The block is clean and is so very hard that it can be handled readily and transported without liability of breakage.

In some ways it is superior to hard coal, as it is completely consumed in burning, it gives off no smoke, and leaves no clinker.

The cost of producing the block is only a fraction of the cost of a good grade of hard coal, as either bituminous or anthracite slack ninety-seven. and three-fifths per cent. of pulverized slack coal, one per cent. of starch, one per cent. of glucose and one-fifth of one per cent. of sulfate of iron, one-tenth of one per cent. of sulfate of magnesia and onetenth of one per cent. of oxid of manganese intimately mixed with each other and com pressed into a solid mass; substantially as described.

3. The method of producing an artificialfuel block which consists in mixing pulverized slack coal, a binding agent, and a hardening and smoke-destroying substance with a liquid to form a plastic mass, heating said mass and then subjecting a portion thereof to great pressure and to heat to mold it into predetermined form; substantially as described.

4. The method of producing an artificialfuel block which consists in mixing pulverized slack coal, glucose, starch, sulfate of iron, sulfate of magnesia, oxid of manganese with enough water to cause the ingredients to mix thoroughly, heating the mass and then subjecting a portion thereof to great pressure between heated members to mold it into predetermined form; substantially as described,

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 20th day of July, 1906.

MICHAEL M. KLINE.

Witnesses:

WELLs L. CHURCH, CoRA BADGER. 

